Featured Product: writing instruments

Got a pen? How often have you been asked that question or have asked it yourself? Honestly, it doesn't matter how high-tech our offices are, there's still a huge demand for some sort of writing instrument, from pens and pencils to markers and highlighters. That's not surprising when you consider that U.S. consumers spend about $4.8 million a year on writing instruments, according to the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association (WIMA).

Over the years, pundits have discussed the possibilities of the paperless office, which, if that myth ever became a reality, would probably usher in the pen- and pencil-less office. Just a cursory glance around your workspace reveals that we're no closer to either of those realities than we were 20 years ago.

With the joy of writing in mind, we've assembled a sampling of writing instruments from an array of manufacturers. Space considerations only allow us to include one product per manufacturer even though most offer extensive lines of writing instruments. If you'd like more information than we've included here on a specific product or the manufacturer's complete product line, please visit the Website listed.

The BIC DUO is a combination ballpoint pen and highlighter that changes instantly from a ballpoint pen to a highlighter with a simple twist of the pen's barrel. The DUO is available with a blue or black barrel with matching ink. The yellow highlighter is also refillable. It has a suggested retail price of $4.99.

* www.bicworld.com, Reader Service No. 150

The Maxum Gel Pen from Staedtler has a 0.8mm writing tip and is available in eight metallic ink colors (blue, red, pink, purple, green, bronze, gold, and silver). It uses acid-free ink that is waterproof, smear proof, permanent, fade resistant, and quick drying. Barrel accents correspond to each pen's ink color, and the rubberized grip allows for comfortable writing. An eight-color blister card costs $7.49.

* www.staedtler.us, Reader Service No. 151

The F-301 Compact from Zebra Pen Corp. is a capped ballpoint pen that fits easily into any shirt or pants pocket. Simply pull apart the barrel, spin around the gripped end, and insert it into the other end of the barrel to create a full-size pen. The F-301 Compact is modeled after the original F-301, a stainless steel, retractable ballpoint pen. The new pen is lanyard ready and can easily attach to a clip or string through the eye-loop of the cap and then be secured to a backpack, cell phone, or ID card holder. It has a suggested retail price of $2.89.

* www.zebrapen.com, Reader Service No. 152

Inspired by luxury cars, the Autocross pen from Cross has a distinctive shape, choice leather, and engraving based on an engine design. Cross designers interpreted details of automotive artistry in crafting this new writing instrument. The pen has a strong, wide body and balanced grip made comfortable by the wrap of leather. Available in five deeply saturated shades of subtly textured leather--chocolate, black, toffee, teal, and red--the Autocross ballpoint pen retails for $50. * www.cross.com, Reader Service No. 153

The Paper Mate Profile from Sanford is a 1.4mm, smooth-writing retractable pen with a comfort grip and extra-smooth ink system that provides an effortless writing experience. It combines the smoothness of a gel pen with a quick-drying, super bold ink. Colors include black, blue, red, purple, green, orange, turquoise, and magenta. A four-pack costs $4.35 and an eight-pack, $8.69.

* www.sanford.com, Reader Service No. 154

The Dixon Ticonderoga SenseMaticPlus is a state-of-the-art mechanical pencil that senses when the writer needs more lead, automatically advancing the correct amount without interrupting the writer. Its sleek and sophisticated appearance differentiates the mechanical pencil from traditional yellow wood-cased pencils by providing a more modern and stylish appeal. The pencil is refill-able and comes packaged with three additional leads and an extra eraser. It costs $2.99. * www.dixonticonderoga.com, Reader Service No. 155

The St. Tropez II from Marvy/Uchida is a smooth-flowing gel roller pen with black ink. It has a sleek design, a delicate touch, a marbled acrylic barrel, and brushed metal trim accents. The pen is available in 12 finishes and comes with a gift case.

* www.uchida.com, Reader Service No. 156

Tombow's Reporter is a classic three-in-one ballpoint pen with a sleek new barrel featuring a no-slip comfort grip and a spring-loaded clip for clipping the pen onto a notebook or binder. It also has a reduced "clicking" noise when the user changes the ink color. You can quickly change ink colors from black, blue, or red by the unique touch system, with each color having a different shape for easy identification. The Reporter is refillable, one color at a time.

* www.tombowusa.com, Reader Service No. 157

Source Citation
Cullen, Scott. "Featured Product: writing instruments." OfficeSolutions 24.1 (2007): 32+. Academic OneFile. Web. 31 Oct. 2009. .

Gale Document Number:A159080114

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